Who is Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg? German grandnephew remembers 'extraordinary' Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, left some very specific instructions for his funeral. One of which includes the presence of his 'blood relatives'. While the Prince's children and grandchildren will definitely be in attendance at his funeral, the British royal family went a step further and decided to extend an invitation to three of Prince Philip's German cousins.
The three cousins who have been included in the 30-member guest list for the funeral ceremony are Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden, and Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse. Prince Philip's German roots stem from his mother Princess Alice, who was a German royalty, while his father Andrew was the Prince of Greece and Denmark. Let us take a closer look at Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and his relationship with the British royal family.
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Who is Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg?
Prince Philipp (born Philipp Gottfried Alexander) is the son of Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and his first wife Princess Charlotte of Croÿ. Philipp is also the grandson of Prince Philip's sister Princess Margarita, which makes him the grandnephew of the Duke of Edinburgh. He became the head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg following the death of his father in 2004.
Due to anti-German sentiment after WW2, only Philip's mother, Princess Alice could attend her son's wedding to the Queen in 1947. When Prince Philipp learned of his invitation to his great uncle's funeral, he issued a statement saying that he was touched by the royal family's gesture. He wrote, "It really is an incredible honour and we are all extremely touched and privileged to be included on behalf of the wider family."
Prince Philipp's relationship with the British royals
Although the British royal family rarely got to see Duke of Edinburgh's German side of the family, he still managed to maintain a great relationship with them. This can be reflected in the fond memories that the German Prince recounted about his uncle.
Philipp shared some fond memories with his uncle Philip from the time he attended family events in Germany. "It was such a joy having a conversation with him. His memory was extraordinary. He could remember playing hide-and-seek in the castle when he was a boy, and he always enjoyed talking to the local people. He could switch from German to English and back, whether he was talking about Winston Churchill or the local wildlife," recounted the Prince while speaking to royal author Robert Hardman.
Aside from his uncle, Prince Philipp also seems to share a great bond with Prince Charles. According to The List, Prince Charles reportedly helped his German relative with setting up wind turbines in a forest he owned in 2013.
Prince Philipp also shared a touching tribute for his uncle. In a statement released by him, he expressed, "Our grieving thoughts and condolences go with Her Majesty the Queen and all of your family in England. Prince Philip was a true gentleman with a great sense of humour, an incredible sense of duty and a wide range of interests... he was very familiar with us in Langenburg. An era is coming to an end and the world is losing a great personality."
Philipp is married to Saskia Binder and has three children - Max Leopold, Gustav and Marita.